


Give Me Life (So I Can Return To Those I Love)

by C4t1l1n4



Series: Quarantine Drabbles [21]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cas is low on Grace, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fluff, Hurt Castiel (Supernatural), Hurt Sam Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, M/M, Not Season/Series 08 Compliant, Not Season/Series 09 Compliant, Post-Hell Trials Sam Winchester, There's an angel kid, Wordcount: 1.000-3.000, Wordcount: Over 1.000, Worried Dean Winchester, random angel characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:41:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24882481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C4t1l1n4/pseuds/C4t1l1n4
Summary: Cas manages to stop Metatron before he closes the gates of Heaven, but Sam is still hurt from the trials. What will a low on grace Castiel do when an angel child, who was evicted from heaven due to the spell, asks him to help find his parents?
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: Quarantine Drabbles [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711075
Kudos: 42





	Give Me Life (So I Can Return To Those I Love)

Castiel trudges towards the phone booth across the street, clinging onto the tattered remains of his grace in his chest. His hands still feel dirty due to Metatron’s death, the weight of his angel blade lingering in his grasp, but he can’t find it in himself to be too upset about it. What is one more dead angel to the many he’s killed already? His cell phone is long gone, but Cas had memorized Dean’s number the day he got it, so it wasn’t a problem. Slow, stiff fingers punch the numbers, clumsily holding up the phone to his ear. He ponders the consequences of his actions as he waits for his lover to pick up, wonders if he even will if he is still mad at the angel for abandoning them when Sam was in such a dire time of need. 

“Babe?” Dean’s voice rings into his ear, and Cas slumps with relief. 

“Hello, Dean.” 

“Where are you? What happened? Are you okay?” 

“I am fine, Dean. I’m sorry for abandoning you. Metatron’s plan to close the gates of heaven was a trick. I found out that it would cause all the angels to fall, and lose their grace, so I stopped him before it was too late. He is dead now.”

“Holy shit, angel.” Dean breathes from the other end, and Cas can distantly hear him plopping down in a chair as he processes the information. “What about you?”

“He had taken a significant amount of my grace in order to complete the spell, but when I stopped him and interrupted the spell, what was left of it returned to me.” He can tell by the way Dean pauses that it wasn’t the answer he was hoping for, and his partner restrains himself from saying something else in return. Cas has a sneaking suspicion that he knows exactly what this is about, so he breaks the ice for him. “How is Sam?”

Dean’s heavy sigh tells him everything he needs to know. 

“Not good.” Dean’s reply is oddly thick, clouded with emotion. 

Cas cuts him off before he gets a chance to say anything else. He knows what he has to do. “Where are you?” 

Dean’s next breath is watery, but he coughs a few times and clears his throat before responding. “St. James Hospital, room 327.” 

“I’ll be right there.” Cas promises and he barely catches Dean’s quiet “Love you” before returning the phone to the hook, ending the call. 

He steadies himself as he lifts his wings, preparing for a wobbly landing as he takes off. He lands outside the hospital, stumbling a few steps forward and crashing into the brick wall right next to the front doors, thankfully not too hard. He places his hands on the brick, pushing himself away from it but remaining still to give his head time to stop spinning and from the black dots to recede from the edge of this vision. He may still have about a third of his grace remaining from Metatron’s trick, but healing Sam will take most of it from him, and he needs to not collapse in front of Dean. The hunter doesn’t need to worry about him as well. 

He waits for a few more minutes, taking a seat on the curb before heading inside. He takes the human way to room 327, grateful for elevators for probably the first time in his existence. He leans against the wall of the elevator until it dings, then makes his way down the hall to be met with the sight of Dean pacing back in forth outside a room. 

“Cas,” As the hunter calls his names, he watches the tension ease out of his shoulders and is quickly brought into a tight hug. “Took your sweet time, didn’t you?” He half-heartedly complains into the angel’s ear, resting his chin on his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry I took so long.” Cas apologizes sincerely, but he is silenced by a pair of lips against his own before he can say anymore.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re here now.” 

Dean pulls him into the room by their linked hands, and Cas gets a good look at Sam for this first time in a while. He looks… absolutely terrible. He’s being kept alive solely by the hospital’s machines, and is fast asleep, probably trapped in the throes of a coma, due to the exhaustion from the trials. Cas briefly wonders if Sam would even be able to be healed if there were no supernatural entities such as himself to help him, though he supposes that he wouldn’t even be in this mess in the first place without supernatural intervention. 

He looks at Dean, who is staring back at him hopefully, and gives him a small smile. He hates that Dean notices the way it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll do what I can,” Cas promises, giving their linked hands a tight squeeze before pulling it out of his grasp. He takes a step towards the bed when he’s met with resistance, a rough hand on his shoulder spinning him back around. 

“Don’t kill yourself in the process too. I can’t lose both of you.” 

Cas nods and Dean lets him go, standing nervously near the foot of the bed. Cas takes a seat on the edge of the bed, more so he doesn’t fall when his grace is used than anything else, and gently takes one of Sam’s hands in his own. He lets the grace run from his vessel into Sam’s body, racing through his veins and destroying the things that plague him. The angel’s eyes flutter shut, and he holds on to Sam for longer than he actually spends healing, to adjust to how little grace he has left. His grace bemoans the loss, what few drops that stay inside him crying out at the lack of what remains, loneliness staining the sorrow-filled harmonies of their heavenly voices.

Cas feels this as his heart clenching in his chest, the ache for something that isn’t there anymore, the longing to be whole again, something that he hasn’t felt in a very long time. He finally lets out a deep breath and releases Sam’s hand, opening his eyes as Sam comes to just a few seconds later. He blinks into consciousness blearily, eyes squinting confused as his gaze darts around the room. 

He manages to get out a rough and quiet: “Dean?” And the older hunter is at his side immediately. 

Cas takes that as his cue to leave. He needs to find somewhere to rest, and fast. “He will remain awake now, his body is healed enough to stay out of a coma, but he’ll be very weak for a while. You can probably release him from the hospital if you want, I know you don’t like to stay for long.” He tells Dean, getting to his feet. “I will see you back at the bunker.” And with that he leaves, stumbling out of the room as gracefully as possible. 

He takes reprieve in the elevator once more but makes sure to get outside before letting his guard down completely. He makes it around the corner and slides to the ground next to a dumpster, out of sight from the road. He’s about to close his eyes, to shut down his mind and to force his vessel to sleep for the rest of the night, when he’s alerted to someone else’s presence by the crunching of gravel. 

“Excuse me, sir.” A young kid, who Cas vaguely thinks might be no more than 5 years old, is now standing in front of him. Cas just sits there, and wonders if he doesn’t interact, the child will go away. As long as he doesn’t have to move anytime in the foreseeable future, so his grace can focus on regenerating, he’ll be okay. “Mr. Castiel, are you okay?” The kid steps a little closer, curious and concerned. 

“I’m fine,” Cas says, though it’s not reassuring at all. “Now, please-“ He starts to tell the child to go away when he realizes what they said. “How do you know my name?” He’s on edge immediately but knows he doesn’t have the energy to make an escape. 

“I recognized you.” The kid replies, sitting in the gravel a few feet away, just out of reach. “Your wings are all droopy and you only have two of your eyes open.” He comments as if it was a normal topic in everyday conversations. “Are you okay?” 

“You’re an angel,” Cas states, making the connection. The kid nods. “What are you doing here? And how do you know me?” The fact that this kid is an angel doesn’t reassure him in the slightest. 

“My dad used to be in your garrison. I’ve seen you around a couple of times. Dad says that you were going to save us all from being cast down from Heaven, and kill Metatron, who was a bad guy and was mean to us. Did you?”

Cas laughs a bit at that. “I suppose I did. Where is your dad?” 

The kid shrugs. “I don’t know. The spell kicked me out, but I still have my grace and my wings, so I didn’t fall.” 

Cas’s blank face crumples for a second. He didn’t completely stop the spell in time. He got some angels kicked out of Heaven, including this young one, who doesn’t know how to contact his family. He schools his face back into one of indifference when another thought pops into his head. _Everyone in my garrison is dead._

“What’s your name?” 

“I’m Daniel. I’m only 100 years old. My dad’s name is Jerahmel.”

“Jerahmel,” Cas repeats softly. Why was that name so distant, yet so familiar? 

“He left your garrison once I was born to help raise me. He now works somewhere less dangerous, though I don’t remember where.” 

The memories hit Cas like a tidal wave. It _has_ been a while since he talked to Jerahmel. 

“Will you help me?” Daniel asks. 

“What?” 

“Will you help me find my parents?” 

Cas sighs. He tries to heave himself into a standing position, but can’t even get an inch off the ground. “I would, but…” 

“But your drooping wings and closed eyes.” Daniel nods as if he understands. 

‘I’m tired.” 

Daniel moves closer, resting his small hand on top of Cas’s. Cas stares at him, confused, but then, he feels it. Grace is seeping out of Daniel and flowing into Cas. Both of their eyes glow blue with grace, and Cas feels his grace mingle with Daniel’s. After a few minutes, the child pulls away, leaving Cas feeling refreshed and charged with more grace than he had even before healing Sam. 

Daniel sits there and yawns. “Papa does that for Dad sometimes.” His eyelids droop, and he reaches out for Cas as he yawns again. “Will you help me find my parents now?” 

Cas draws him into his arm and stands to his feet, no longer weighed down by exhaustion. “Of course.” He promises. “I have some friends who can help out.” He holds Daniel close to his chest as he arches his wings and flies them to the bunker. 

———  
That’s how Dean finds them the next afternoon, after settling Sam in his bed to get some more rest. He comes across Cas sprawled out on the couch, reduced to nothing but his white button-up and black slacks, cradling a child to his chest, blanket half sliding off the both of them. As cute as it was - Dean snaps a picture for personal reasons - he needs to know what exactly was going on. 

Careful to not disturb the child, he nudges Cas, leaning over to press a kiss against feather locks of raven hair. “Babe?” He asks gently. 

Cas stirs, grip tightening on the child as his eyes flutter open, blue muted by the grogginess of his gaze. “Dean?” He asks, blinking at him slowly. “You made it back.” He exclaims, more awake now, standing to his feet. He pulls Dean into a cautious one-sided hug, in order to not squish Daniel between them. 

“Sams upstairs sleeping,” Dean says, answering his questions before he even had the chance to ask. “What’s with the kid?” His green gaze flickers pointed to Daniel and back up again. 

“This is Daniel.” As if summoned by his name, Daniel stirs, wiggling slightly in Cas’s grasp. He removes his arms from around Dean to support the child better. Cas explains as Daniel awakes, looking around to take in his new surroundings. “I have yet to pray to his parents, as both of us needed some time to rest.” 

Daniel looks over at Dean, questioningly. “Are these the friends you were telling me about?” He glances over to Cas and seemingly answers the question for himself. “Oh, this is your mate. Will he help us too?” 

Cas freezes, caught off guard by the question and Dean stutters out something that might’ve been the beginning of a rebuttal, but can’t get any words past his lips. “He’s not my mate.” Cas corrects gently. 

“But the way you angle your wings.” Daniel protests. “My papa does the same thing.” 

Cas flushes red. “We’re…” he thinks of a term the young angel night understand. “courting.”

“Oh,” Daniel seems to be satisfied by that. “Well, if you have to fight anyone, I hope you win.” And with that, he tucks himself back against Cas, tired of the conversation.

“Thank you.” 

Dean raises an eyebrow at him. “The way you angle your wings?”

Cas elbows him in the side playfully. “Shut up.”

Dean just laughs. “I think you better call his parents.” 

Cas nods, “I’ll let them know our location.” 

Cas gets a far off look, his muscles relaxing and grip on Daniel loosening. Dean takes the kid from him to avoid completely dumping him on the floor. Not even a minute later, there’s a knock on the door, and Cas’ eyes unglazed. “They’re here.”

“Angel magic,” Dean says, follow Cas as the angel makes his way over to let the parents in. Dean halts by the map table, leaning against it as Daniel grabs a fist full of flannel for support. Cas comes back into the room with two men following him. 

“Daniel!” One calls, and rushes over, taking the child out of Dean’s arms. 

“I’m sorry I did not call you earlier, Jerahmel.” Cas is apologizing to the other. “It has been a rough couple of days for me.” 

“He was really tired.” Daniel chimes from his papa’s arms. “I gave him some of my grace when he didn’t have much left like you do because his mate can’t do that.”

Cas and Dean both blush again. “I uh-“ Cas starts but Jerahmel cuts him off. 

“Do not worry, brother. I know my son is safe with you,” He pauses, looking over at Dean. “And your mate. I don’t believe you’ve met mine yet.” Jerahmel gestures over to the angel holding Daniel. “Michiel, this is Castiel. I used to be in his garrison.” 

The other dips his head. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Cas swallows thickly. “You as well. Jerahmel, Michiel, this is my… mate, Dean.” 

Dean waves shyly. 

“If there is anything you need,” Jerahmel continues. “Please let me know. I owe you my life, several times over.” 

Cas glances between Dean and the other angels. “Actually, if you wouldn’t mind. My mate’s brother is very sick, and I do not have to grace to heal him. As you know, Daniel had to give me some of his just for me to fly here. We would be forever grateful if you-“ 

“Of course,” Jerahmel says without hesitation. 

Dean leads him deeper into the bunker to Sam’s room, leaving Cas with Michiel. 

“I let him rest some,” Cas explains. “But he might still be tired.” He looks to the floor bashfully. “He gave me quite a bit of grace for someone that young. He will a good angel when he is older.” 

Michiel smiles “Your words mean a lot to me, Castiel. Thank you. I cannot express how relieved I was to find him with someone as trusted as you.” 

Cas meets his gaze with a smile. “And I cannot tell you how thankful I am for your mate to help Sam.”

“Of course. Family is important.” 

They’re interrupted by the sound of shoes on the hard wooden floor. Cas turns to watch Dean, Jerahmel, and Sam walk towards them. 

“Good as new,” Sam reassures, smiling. He looks so different then he did on the hospital bed, now full of life and energy. Cas can’t help but smile back. It’s about time something good happened to them. 

“Jerahmel, I can’t thank you eno-“ he cuts Cas off once more by placing a hand on his shoulder. 

“Anytime, brother. It was the least I could do. Now, Castiel, get some rest. You deserve it.” 

And with that, Jerahmel, Michiel, and Daniel are gone.


End file.
